Tech

10 Vintage Tech We Can't Believe Debuted at CES

Vintage Tech That Debuted at CES

1. The VCR (1970)

Sony debuted the VCR at CES in 1970 to an awed public. Its U-matic video system became commercially available in 1971. The cartridges were larger than the VHS tapes you may (or may not) remember from the early '90s, and they had a maximum playing time of 60 minutes.

The VHS format quickly eclipsed Sony's Betamax system, and the VCR would dominate the home-viewing and recording sphere -- except for a brief detour to LaserDisc in the mid-'70s -- until the 1996 emergence of DVDs.

2. Camcorders (1981)

JVC and Sony showed the first camcorders at CES in 1981, but they did not become commercially available until 1983. The camcorders were enormous, shoulder-mounted affairs that recorded directly to VHS or Betamax cassettes.

The first digital camcorder, also produced by Sony, would emerge in 1995. It was still a far cry from the compact 4K Handycam on display at this year's CES.

3. The CD Player (1981)

LaserDisc didn't last very long as a video format, but it laid the groundwork for the Compact Disc (CD) technology that you might occasionally still purchase on Amazon for nostalgia's sake. Philips and Sony developed early prototypes of the technology in the mid-'70s, and later collaborated on the model that would be released to the public in 1982.

4. Nintendo Entertainment System (1985)

The 8-bit gaming console Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) saw its American debut at CES in 1985. An earlier model, known as the Famicom, had been commercially available in Japan since 1983. Nintendo had initially partnered with Atari to unveil the console to the American public at CES 1983, but the two companies parted ways after a contract dispute.

The first available Nintendo games introduced the U.S. to the lovable characters of Super Mario and Donkey Kong.

5. The DVD (1996)

Sayonara, VCR! Also indebted to the LaserDisc, the DVD (sometimes called a "Digital Versatile Disc," although the term was reverse-engineered from the acronym) was developed in tandem by Apple, Microsoft, Sun Microsystems, Dell and other computer industry experts.

It debuted at CES in 1996 and quickly blew VHS out of the water: DVDs could store seven times more data than CDs, making them a slick alternative to storing video on bulky VHS tapes.

6. HDTV (1998)

CES 1998 brought tech lovers one step closer to the mammoth curved screens on view in 2014 with the first high-definition TV sets, which boasted thousands of pixels per frame per second. That year, Sony, Zenith, Thomson, Philips and Panasonic all presented rival rear-projection models with screen widths of 50+ inches.

7. The DVR (1998)

ReplayTV and TiVo demonstrated competing Digital Video Recording (DVR) units at CES in 1998, but the devices really picked up steam when, at CES 1999, Dish Network demonstrated a DVR that was linked to Microsoft and satellite television programming.

The DVR debuted many of the nifty features we expect from our cable boxes today, such as time shifting, chasing playback and the ability to pause a live show.

8. Microsoft Xbox (2001)

Microsoft unveiled its first venture into the gaming world, the Xbox, at 2001's CES in a keynote presentation by Bill Gates (with a little help from Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson). The device featured an Ethernet port, an 8 GB hard drive and the ability to play DVDs. Xbox Live, which allowed gamers to compete with users around the world, launched a year later.

Microsoft's second-gen console, the Xbox 360, became available in 2005.

9. The Blu-Ray Disc (2003)

Sony and Philips' HD Blu-ray disc launched at CES 2003 to war cries from Toshiba's HD DVD, which was being touted as the high-definition successor to the standard DVD. With the support of major companies such as Microsoft, Intel and Warner Bros., HD DVD seemed poised to become the high-definition video format of choice, but Blu-ray, which holds six times more data than a DVD, won the war when Warner Bros. announced a switch to Blu-ray in 2008.

10. Tablets (2010)

It's hard to believe that tablet computers made their CES debut only four short years ago. Remember when we thought the iPad would be called the iSlate? Microsoft, Lenovo, Dell and Palm (which was later bought by Hewlitt-Packard) all displayed tablet prototypes at CES 2010, but the event's most talked-about toy was Apple's iPad, which was absent from the show.

Despite the iPad's continued dominance among touch-screen consumers, Lenovo, ASUS and Samsung have made strong tablet offerings at CES 2014.

Some, like the VCR, would see a meteoric rise only to be promptly eclipsed by something newer and shinier. Others, like the tablet, will undoubtedly continue to populate our homes, cars and kitchens in the years to come. And some, like the Nintendo and Xbox consoles, will continue to dominate as gaming evolves.

Here are 10 products we couldn't live without — at a certain time, at least — that have debuted at CES since its 1967 inauguration.

iGrow Laser Helmet

3D Printed Drum Kit

It doesn't look like it has the best acoustics, covered in holes and all, but this 3D printed drum kit is a sign of just how far the technology has come.

Image: Mashable

Alibaba Robot

More than one fully-functioning robot can be found wandering the showroom floor.

Image: Mashable

Taking A Rest

Visitors take a rest in Inada massage chairs at the Inada booth during CES, January 8th, 2014.

Image: Joe Klamar/AFP/Getty Images

Flickr Frame

The Flickr frame leads to some interesting photo opportunities.

Image: Mashable

Dish Hoppers

While definitely some of the tamer CES costumes, we wonder if Dish's mascots aren't a bit too literal.

Image: Mashable

Dalek

Massive Audio, a car-speaker company, built a 6-foot-tall replica of a Dalek, the marquee mechanical monster from BBC television series Doctor Who. The company estimates the 926-pound monstrosity cost $25,000 to build.

Image: Mashable, Pete Pachal

E-Ink Wall Clock- Amusing and Pricey

This 3-foot long digital clock has a huge electronic ink screen. The manufacturer claims a tiny watch battery should power it for a year, but more than anything, it's a great example of the goofy gadgets that populate CES.

Image: Mashable, Lance Ulanoff

Yahoo SNL Appearances

The Yahoo keynote had its fair share of celebrity appearances. SNL cast members Cecily Strong and Kenan Thompson — posing as as Al Sharpton — appeared for a Weekend Update sketch. The comedians cracked tech-related jokes on topics ranging from Snapchat and Facebook to twerking.

Image: Mashable, Nina Frazier-Hansen

Michael Bay Flees Stage

Director Michael Bay is one of the hottest names in Hollywood, with a string of blockbusters such as Armageddon and Transformers to his credit. But he didn't fare so well on stage at Samsung's CES keynote in Las Vegas Monday.

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